contents An Innovator on Campus President David G. Horner, who took the reins of The American College of Greece on July 1, 2008, has made a big difference at all the institutions he has served. Now, five months into his presidency, he is on his way to doing 4 the same thing at ACG. In an interview with ACG Magazine, Dr. Horner dis - cussed the circumstances that brought him from Boston to Athens and how he views the role of the president at an institution like ACG. Literature’s Aims Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, president of Brown University in Provi - dence, Rhode Island, urged the hundreds of members of the graduating classes of Deree College, Junior College, and the Graduate School of The American College of Greece to make 12 great literature a part of their lives and use it as a source of in - spiration as they try to chart their course in the world. 21 Preventing Fire s Over the past several years, The American College of Greece has taken major steps to protect its campus and the surrounding forest of Mt. Hymettus from fire. During a recent exercise, Greek firefighters also reminded members of the College community of some of the fundamentals of fire prevention and suppression. 10 news 24 athletics 28 careers 30 culture 33 faculty notes 49 reunions 60 class notes 72 closing thoughts Searching for the Writer in You Alumnus Yorgos Kasfikis (DC‘04) returns to campus as an instructor 53 with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GREECE MAGAZINE E is published biannually by the Office of Institutional Advancement and N is distributed free of charge to members of I From the Editor The American College of Greece community. Z EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT A OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION G Nicholas Jiavaras This issue of The American College of Greece Magazine finds the A College amidst a series of celebratory events, that collectively EDITOR constitute Presidential Inaugural Year 2008-2009. The events M Harilaos H. Daskalothanassis mark the beginning of the presidential tenure of Dr. David G. Director, Office of Media Relations and Publications E Horner, who took the helm of the College on July 1, 2008. ASSOCIATE EDITOR The College is, in many ways, a model for Greek higher educa - C Claudia Carydis tion. The events that have already marked and those that will Executive Director, Office of Communications E mark this presidential transition are a lesson in how a serious in - and Alumni Relations E stitution that respects its history and its mission goes about se - STAFF WRITERS R lecting a new president, honoring its outgoing leader and Electra Christodoulou securing continuity as well as forward-looking innovation. Zinovia-Christina Liapi G President Horner’s interview in this issue (page 4), is, in my Daniel McCormac F view, required reading for anyone interested in the College and IN-HOUSE AD DESIGN in the topic of leadership in general. Virna Vrettou O On page 38, you will find a popularized version of an award- Electra Christodoulou winning article by a member of the College faculty. Our faculty E COPY EDITOR regularly produce world class contributions to their areas of ex - Daniel McCormac G pertise. The ACG Magazine wants to become another forum for PHOTOGRAPHY E the presentation of such work, because we feel that it highlights John Fetalidis L the quality of the College’s faculty and can prove useful to alumni Dimitris Georgakopoulos as they go about their professions. L Spyros Panagiotopoulos Once again, I would like to thank all those who contributed to Christos Zouliatis O this issue and, especially, all of you who take the time to offer DESIGN/ART DIRECTION C constructive criticism so that we can keep making this publica - Andreas Remountis tion better. PRODUCTION N Z-Axis Harilaos H. Daskalothanassis A Opinions expressed in The American College [email protected] of Greece Magazine are those of the authors C or editors and do not reflect official positions I of The American College of Greece. R The Magazine invites letters about its content or about topics related to the College. E Letters may be edited for style, content, or clarity. M ON THE COVER: President David G. Horner of The American College of Greece at the entrance A to the John S. Bailey Library at Deree College. Photo by Spyros Panagiotopoulos E H T A C G 33,000 approximate number of alumni from all ACG divisions A l u m companies and organizations in Greece and internationally that employ ACG alumni 1,700 n i b 22,828 men and women have graduated from Deree College up to 2008 y t alumni who have graduated from Junior College h (a majority have gone on to graduate from Deree, as well) 4,803 e n have graduated from Pierce College 8,362 u m approximate number of Pierce College alumni who have also graduated from Deree College 1,200 b e r prominent Deree College alumni have been featured s 96 in six“Success Stories” ads approximate number of alumni e-mail addresses collected so far by the Office of Alumni Relations 11,000 number of alumni whose contact information 7,500 was updated in the past 3 years alone number of Deree Alumni Representatives (DARS) representing Deree College voluntarily around the world 80 215 books written so far by alumni and donated to the Office of Alumni Relations number of Pierce College alumnae artists who participated in the 2006 exhibition“A Tribute to the alumnae artists of Pierce College” 41 s o l u o p o t o An Innovator on Campus i g a n a By Harilaos H. Daskalothanassis P s o r y p S President David G. Horner, who took the reins of The American College of Greece on July 1, 2008, has made a big dif - y h p a ference at all the institutions he has served. Now, five months into his presidency, he is on his way to doing the same r g o thing at ACG. In an interview with ACG Magazine, Dr. Horner discussed the circumstances that brought him from t o h Boston to Athens, and how he views the role of president at an institution like ACG. P Interview here is a popular saying that life is what unfolds while you are making Tother plans. Last winter, perched in his warm Boston office at the executive search firm whose academic division he headed, Dr. David G. Horner had no im - mediate plans to spend even a few days in Greece – let alone his foreseeable fu - ture. But, unbeknownst to him, here in Athens and in the offices and homes of trustees of The American College of Greece around the United States, events and discussions were unfolding, and mental connections being made, that would align with Dr. Horner’s past to link the veteran educator to the future of the College. There was the search for a new president of the College which had proven fruitless until that point; the professional and personal association of Horner and ACG trustee Dr. Charles Cook – former director of the Commission on Higher Education of the New England As - sociation of Schools and Colleges, which a major institution like The American Col - President Horner with students from accredits ACG; Dr. Horner’s reputation as a lege of Greece is quite different from the Deree College. higher education leader who had man - average job search as we know it. It means aged to turn around two institutions – the that the institution interviews the candi - ACG campus] in the US or anywhere else in latest being North Park University in date, but also the candidate interviews the world, I cannot tell you where that cam - Chicago, Illinois, where he served for 18 the institution. For a perfect match, both pus is.” years; the ad for ACG’s presidential search sides have to enter into the relationship During his visit Horner was also im - that appeared in the Chronicle of Higher eagerly and with a conviction that the pressed by the people. “I sensed real en - Education, which Dr. Horner had seen as strengths and ambitions of one side ergy, a real passion for the College, a keen part of his own academic search work but match those of the other. In this case, it appreciation for what ACG has become had paid scant attention to; a teaching visit also involved a family’s change of life during the presidency of Dr. Bailey, and at to Greece undertaken in the mid-1990s by plans, but according to President Horner, the same time an open, forward-looking Horner’s wife, Dr. S. Sue Horner, and a sub - the moment he picked up the phone to spirit,” Horner said.The feelings of affection sequent cruise the couple enjoyed around call his spouse to ask what she thought, were mutual. Asked their opinion of vari - the Greek islands. The threads that make he had already anticipated the answer. ous candidates that came to see the Col - up the fabric of Dr. Horner’s appointment “She thought for a moment and then said: lege, members of the College’s faculty and as President of The American College of ‘I think that would be quite fascinating,’” administration overwhelmingly preferred Greece are multitudinous, and their indi - Dr. Horner recalls. Dr. Horner. vidual significance became apparent only Horner’s candidacy also involved a visit With some months as the College’s pres - after the fact. to the College in March of this year, and ident under his belt, one of Dr.